4 comments:

Great interview...the comment I get continually from people I share about your blogging and story is, how did so much information get out? I know there is alot that was not written about, but even what was is incredible given the fact that anyone could read the blog. I think that fact is one of the most amazing aspects of this story. You were helped and protected over and over again, and I think when that happens, the information that is shared needed to be shared to society at large. Again my thanks personally to you and you family for doing just that.

Sorry-I know I'm the biggest loudmouth in the blogging community here, and you have a fantastic one! What great people...and that's why I'm writing again. Yesterday the prison where my son is held had a full graduation ceremony for inmates who completed GED's and other courses offered. They had caps, gowns, speakers, a really funky synthesized version of Pomp and Circumstance-it was great.

But here's what I wanted to communicate to everyone who read this blog...the young man who scored the highest on his GED test, addressed his fellow graduates so eloquently and was honored to announce the tassel turn, apparently had no family or friends there. After the ceremony and goodies made by bakery graduate inmates (I think there was peanut butter in everything), I saw this young man out of the corner of my eye. He stood there in his gown after probably what was the biggest moment of his life now, surveyed the scene of families and inmates, wheeled around several times as though looking for someone, and went back to the cell block. I'll never forget the look on his face.

What I want to say to this great blogging family is, the one single best antidote to recidivism is caring people-one person who cares whether an inmate lives or dies. Visiting or writing to one person may make all the difference in the world and as Shaun has amply demonstrated, it really isn't that hard to care for an inmate. It took my own son being inside to see the need.